knight



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC WILLIAM H. H.-KNIGE[T, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO LEWIS ABRAHAM, OF SAME PLACE.

. LEAD 0R CRAYON HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 277,138, dated May 8, 1883,

Application filed February 9, 1882. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WM. H. H. KNIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented a new and useful Lead or Crayon Holder, of which the following is a specification.

Figure l is a longitudinal section of a lead or crayon holder embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the lower end of the plunger. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the gripping-jaw with its attached gripping and plunger-retractin g spring. Fig. 4 is modified form of Fig. 3.

Similar letters of referenceindicate like parts in each figure.

My invention relates to that class of pencilholders wherein the'lead or crayon is held in position within the case by gripping'jaws operated by springs, and released from said jaws by downward pressure applied to the head of an interior hollow plunger.

The invention more particularly relates to the provision of a spring adapted to fulfill the twofold functions of a gripping-spring, and plunger-retracting spring; and to this end it consists in a bell-crank lever pivoted to the sheath, and provided at its upper side, within said sheath, with a spring, and at its lower side with a downwardly-projecting finger provided at its lower end with gripping-jaws, said bell-crank lever being further provided at a point opposite its fulcrum with an inwardlyprojecting lug, against which the lower end of the plunger impinges, all as hereinafterspecifically described and claimed. I

A represents the sheath, provided at its lower end with a tip or nozzle, B, having the ordinary aperture, 1), for the admission of the lead or crayon.

a is a stud or pin extending within the sheath A into a slot, 0 upon the outer surface of the plunger 0, and serves the purpose of limitingthelongitudinal motion of saidplunger.

0 represents a plunger having a central bore or hollow, 0, extending nearly its entire length. The lower end of said plunger is cut away or tapered, as shown at c, and the extreme lower end, 0 bears upon a projection,

is attached a gripping-jaw, d

cl, extending inwardly from bell-crank lever D, pivoted at d to the sheath A. The lower end of the lever D is provided with a downwardlyprojecting finger,d to the lower end of which wardly from said lever D, within the sheath, is a spring, d said spring being formed with or attached to the. lever. The upper end of the spring (1 is provided with a slot, 61 which engages with the head of a stud or pin, a, in the wall of the sheath. 7

In'Fig. 4 I have shown a spring, 01 as projecting downwardly at the outer side of the finger d and bearing against the wall of an interior chamber, B", within the tip or nozzle B, which construction operates substantially as that heretofore described.

The operation of my device is as follows: When it is desired to introduce a lead or crayon into the sheath the plunger G is pressed downward. Thelower end, 0 of said plunger, impinging upon the projection d of the lever D, causes the jaw d at the lower end of the finger d attached to said lever, to move outwardly, at the same timeplacing the spring at under tension,.which spring operates, when the pressure is removed, to return the bell-crank lever to its normal position, thus gripping the lead or crayon, and also returning the plunger upwardly. When desired to release the lead or crayon from the jaws the above operation is repeated. It will be understood that when the spring d is under tension, as hereinbefore described, the slot d will permit the upper end of said spring to move downward.

In the drawings I have shown a device provided with but one bell-crank lever, with its attached spring, &c.; but 'two or more of said levers may be used, if desired, and be within the scope of my invention; but when only one is used the gripping-jaw is placed opposite a gripping-abutment, 12, attached to the inner side of the tip or sheath, as the case may be.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a lead or crayon holder, the pivoted bell-crank lever D, provided at a point opposite its fulcrum with an inwardly-projecting Extending uplug, d, and its lower side with a downwardly- In a lead or crayon holder, the combination of the sheath A, having tip or nozzleB,

with the plunger 0, and bell-crank lever D, I5

pivoted to and Within the sheath A, and provided with a spring and gripping-jaw adapted to be operated by pressure of spring and plunger, substantially as described.

ILLIAM H. H. KNIGHT. \Vitnesses:

,ANSON S. TAYLOR, S. H. JACOBSON. 

